gibson



March 31, 1964 G. G. GIBSON DISPLAY EASEL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 26, 1962 FIG. 2

INVENTOR GALEN e. GIBSON pawm v AlmR S March 31, 1964 e. G. GlBSON 3,126,664

DISPLAY EASEL INVENTOR. GALEN G. GIBSON ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,126,664 DISPLAY EASEL Galen G. Qihson, 5121 13th Ave. S., Minneapolis, Minn. Fried Dec. 26, 1962, Ser. No. 246,887 4 Claims. (C1. 45-57) The herein disclosed invention relates to display easels and has for an object to provide an easel having three supports pivoted to one another and adapted to occupy various positions to display diiferent types of articles thereonv Another object of the invention resides in constructing the supports with coaxially arranged hinge means.

A still further object of the invention resides in con structing the various supports with spaced legs having connecting portions between the outer ends thereof.

An object of the invention resides in providing in the legs of certain of the frames bends, forming in said frames inner portions and angular portions extending angularly outwardly therefrom.

A feature of the invention resides in disposing the bends on the legs of one of said frames near the hinge means therefor and the bends on the legs of another of said frames near the outer end thereof.

An object of the invention resides in using two pintles, one for pivoting the legs on one side of each of said frames and the other pintle for pivoting the legs on the opposite side of said frames.

Another object of the invention resides in providing pivot means for causing frictional engagement between the legs whereby the supports may be held in adjusted positions.

A still further object of the invention resides in constructing the connecting portions of the various frames in the form of an arc of a circle.

Other objects of the invention reside in the novel construction and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter illustrated and/or described.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective View of a display easel illustrating an embodiment of the invention and showing the same erected and arranged in inclined position.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1 and drawn to an enlarged scale.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the supporting members collapsed.

FIGS. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 are elevational views showing the parts arranged in different positions to support and display various articles.

The invention is indicated in its entirety by the reference character A and consists of three supports 10, and 30. These supports are hingedly connected together by means of hinge means 46 permitting relative swinging of members with respect to one another.

The supporting member 10 comprises a frame 11 having two legs 12 and 13 arranged in spaced parallel relation. These legs have a connecting portion 14 between the same at the outer ends thereof. The inner ends of said legs are formed with eyes 15 and 16. The connecting portion 14 is preferably arcuate in form as shown.

The supporting member 26 is similarly constructed and comprises a frame 21 having spaced parallel legs 22 and 23. A connecting portion 27 extends between the outer ends of the legs 22 and 23. Eyes 28 and 29 are formed on the inner ends of said legs. The legs 22 and 23 are more greatly spaced than the legs 12 and 13 of frame 11 so that the eyes 2% and 29 straddle the eyes 15 and 16. The eyes and 29, the same as the eyes 15 and 16, are coaxial. The legs 22 and 23 have bends 24 near the outer ends of the same and which form in said frame an inner portion 25 and an angular portion 26.

The supporting member 30 consists of a U-shaped 3,126,664 Patented Mar. 31, 1964 frame 31 which has spaced legs 32 and 33. The outer ends of the legs 32 and 33 are connected by means of a connecting portion 37 which is arcuate in form. The inner ends of the legs 32 and 33 are provided with eyes 38 and 39. The two legs 32 and 33 are more closely spaced than the legs 12 and 13 of frame 11 and the eyes 15 and 16 of frame 11 straddle the eyes 38 and 39 of frame 31. These legs have bends 34 in them which form in said frame an inner portion 35 and an angular portion 36.

The hinge means 40 includes the eyes 28, 15 and 38 which are arranged in coaxial relation with reference to one another and also the eyes 39, 16 and 29 which are arranged in coaxial relation with reference to one another and to the eyes 28, 15 and 38. Between the eyes 28, 15 and 38 are located washers 41 and 42 which are preferably constructed of fiber or some other resilient friction material. A pintle 43 extends through the opening of the various eyes 28, 15 and 38 and it is in the form of a rivet. This pintle has a shank 44 and a head 45 disposed at one end thereof. The shank 44 is of such diameter that the eyes 28, 15 and 38 ride upon the same and thus pivotally connects the three frames 11, 21 and 31 together. The shank 44 is provided at its outer end with a bore 46 which forms in said shank a tube 47. A washer 48 is disposed on the tube 47 and butts up against the eye 38. The extreme end of the tube 47 is turned over to form a flange 43 which bears upon the washer 48. The length of the shank 44 is such that the head 45 and washer 48 are urged against the eyes 28 and 38 and the said eyes brought into frictional engagement with the two Washers 4-1 and 42. The parts are so designed that the various supporting members may be swung about the pintles 43 and when released are held in adjusted position by the friction with the washers 41 and 42. The eyes 29, 16 and 39 are mounted on a rivet 51 identical with the rivet 43 and in the same manner as the eyes 28, 15 and 38 and the description thereof will not be repeated.

In use, the three frames can be swung so that the legs '12, 13, 22, 23, 32 and 33 all lie parallel to one another as shown in FIG. 3. The parts when so arranged form a neat and compact article which may be readily packaged so as to occupy a minimum amount of space.

The supporting members of the invention may be arranged in different ways as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3-10 inclusive. In FIG. 1, the frame 11, the inner portion 25 of frame 21 and the inner portion 35 of frame 31 are coplanar with the angular portion 26 of frame 21 extending upwardly and the angular portion 36 of frame 31 extending downwardly. The frames 21 and 31 rest on the supporting surface and support the easel with the frames 11 and the inner portion 25 of frame 21 in inclined relation. With the parts so arranged, a book such as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 1 may be placed upon the legs 12, 13, 22 and 23. In such case, the edge of the book would rest against the angular portion 26 of frame 21 and the book thus supported in open or closed position.

In FIG. 4, the inner portions 25 and 35 of frames 21 and 31 are arranged in vertical coplanar relation with the angular portions 26 and 36 extending outwardly from the plane thereof. Also, the frame 11 is arranged parallel to the angular portion 36 of frame 31 and serves as a base for supporting the easel. In such case, the angular portion 36 forms a shelf on which an article may be placed and the arrangement of the frame 11 and the angular portion 36 provide a space therebetween in which printed matter may be placed.

in FIG. 5, the three frames are again arranged in coplanar relation as shown in FIG. 1, but the frame 31 has been swung in a manner so that the angular portion 36 extends in the same direction from the plane of the frames as the angular portion 26. With this form of the invention, 'an object may be arranged on a slant as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 5. By raising frame 11 printed sheets may be arranged on edge as shown in FIG. 6.

When the parts are arranged as shown in FIG. 7, the frames 11 and 21 aredisposed angularly with reference to one another and support the easel with the frame 21 in inclined relation. The inner portion 35 of frame 31 is disposed at right angles to the inner portion 25 of frame 21 while the angular portion 36 is arranged parallel to the inner portion 25 of frame 21. With this construction, each of the frames 31 and 21 form a support for two stacks of printed sheets or similar articles.

The arrangement shown in FIG. 8 is similar to that shown in FIG. 1 except that frame 11 is swung upwardly into vertical position. With this arrangement, an article may be carried by frame 21 while a card or other display may be secured to frame 11.

In FIG. 9, the frames are arranged in much the same manner as in FIG. 7 excepting that the angular portion 36 of frame 31 may be used as a shelf for supporting an article to be displayed while literature may be placed upon the frame 21.

In FIG. 10, the parts are arranged so as to form a support for a large plate between frame 11 and frame 21 and a small plate on frame 31.

Applicants invention is highly useful in that the parts may be arranged in numerous ways to support innummerable articles, printed matter and combinations of the same. The easel may be manufactured at a nominal expense and by equipment readily available. The easel, when collapsed, occupies a minimum amount of space. The various parts may be arranged to simultaneously display several articles or printed matter or combinations of the same. If desired, the various frames may be coated with a coating of rubber colored to enhance the appearance of the easel and to prevent injury to the articles placed upon the same. In such case, the rubber does not extend over the various eyes on the legs of the frame.

Changes in the specific form of the invention, as herein described, may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is:

1. A display easel comprising three supports each including a U-shaped frame having spaced legs with a connecting portion between the outer ends of said legs, hinge means at the inner ends of said legs which hingedly connect said frames together for relative swinging movement about a common axis, bends in the legs of two of said frames intermediate the ends thereof forming in said frames inner portions adjoining said hinge means and angular portions extending angularly outwardly from said inner portions, said other frame being planiform and means for restraining relative movement between said supports.

2. A display easel comprising three supports each including a U-shaped frame having spaced legs with a connecting portion between the outer ends of said legs, hinge means at the inner ends of said legs which hingedly connect said frames together for relative swinging movement about a common axis, bends in the legs of two of said frames intermediate the ends thereof forming in said frames inner portions adjoining said hinge means and angular portions extending angularly outwardly from said inner portions, the inner portion of one frame being longer than the angular portion and the angular portion of the other frame being longer than the inner portion of said frame and means for restraining relative movement between said supports.

3. A display easel comprising three supports each including a -U-shaped frame having spaced legs with a connecting portion between the outer ends of said legs, hinge means at the inner ends of said legs which hingedly connect said frames together for relative swinging movement about a common axis, the connecting portions of certain of the frames being arcuate and the arcuate connecting portion of one of said frames lying in the plane of the legs of the frame adjacent the hinge means.

4. A display easel comprising three supports, each including a U-shaped frame having spaced legs with a connecting portion between the outer ends of said legs, hinge means at the inner ends of said legs which hingedly connect said frames together for relative swinging movement about a common axis, the outer connecting portion of one of said frames being arcuate and said arcuate connecting portion of said frame lying in a plane extending angularly outwardly from the legs of said frame at the hinge means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 389,536 Albrecht Sept. 18, 1888 1,651,523 Hamlin Dec. 23, 1927 2,592,252 De Coste Apr. 8, 1952 2,707,350 Schalfner May 3, 1955 

1. A DISPLAY EASEL COMPRISING THREE SUPPORTS EACH INCLUDING A U-SHAPED FRAME HAVING SPACED LEGS WITH A CONNECTING PORTION BETWEEN THE OUTER ENDS OF SAID LEGS, HINGE MEANS AT THE INNER ENDS OF SAID LEGS WHICH HINGEDLY CONNECT SAID FRAMES TOGETHER FOR RELATIVE SWINGING MOVEMENT ABOUT A COMMON AXIS, BENDS IN THE LEGS OF TWO OF SAID FRAMES INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS THEREOF FORMING IN SAID FRAMES INNER PORTIONS ADJOINING SAID HINGE MEANS AND ANGULAR PORTIONS EXTENDING ANGULARLY OUTWARDLY FROM SAID INNER PORTIONS, SAID OTHER FRAME BEING PLANIFORM AND MEANS FOR RESTRAINING RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN SAID SUPPORTS. 